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Cambridge Advanced EngHsh

Exam simulation

The Reading Paper

Narne

Date

.......2013

Readin8

Test

Part 1

You are going to read three extracts which are all concerned in some way with
travel. For questions 1-6, choose the answer (A, B, C or D) which you think fits best
according to the text.

Mark your answers on the separate answer sheet.

'ila

'laine recommends a cosy retreat as a way to escaPe

om

those winter blues.

If you are looking to get away from it all for a few days this winter,
but don't want to break the bank, then you could do a lot worse than
book a weekend break at the Cog in the Wheel Inn, at Ashton Falls.
Set in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales, this country retreat boasts a
spacious yet cosy restaurant with a cuisine to be envied for miles
around. Settle down in the comfortable, oak-panelled dining area
and prepare to give your taste buds a real treat. Tuck into juicy local
English lamb or Scottish venison accompanied by roasted root
vegetables grown on the premises, and let the roaring log fire warm
your toes and drive away all your worries.
hen retire to the lounge for homemade fudge and freshly ground
coffee or perhaps a hot dri before wending your way up the four
hundred vear-old sLaircase to vour room. Luxuriouslv furnished in
orris prints, with a four-poster bed and en-suite
illiam
bathroom, each of the inn's ten bedrooms affords magnificent views
of the rolling countryside, creating the perfect atmosphere for a
satisfyingly deep sleep.
he inn is a popular choice for ramblers as it is ideally positioned for

well-known hiking routes, so make sure you don't forget your

walking shoes. It is easy to reach by car, and anyone travelling by
coach or train can contact the inn to arrange for the mini-bus to pick
them up at Ripley Station.

According to th e writer, the Cog in theWheel nn

A is many miles from the nearest town.
B serves unu sual food to its guests.
C has a fireplace in every room.
D is pleasant and reasonably priced.
What does the writer think is the most favou
A its relaxing atmosphere
ailwaY station
B its m

C its
D its

la
io

lke rs

ngs

ra

ble aspect of this inn?

he advert described 'a charming family hotel with swimming pool, a

hundred metres from the beach'. I looked at the sight before me and
wondered exactly what the writer of the brochure had been looking at when he
wrote it.
'This ls the Paradise Beach Hotel, isn't it?' I asked the ta,xi driver for the

third time.
His English was not very good, and my Italian even worse, so I had hopes
that perhaps he hadn't understood me. Or perhaps this was the wrong Paradise
Beach Hotel? For paradise it most certainly was notl
'No, no, ees the onlyParadise Beach'otel,'he said, beaming at me.
I stared in dismay at what was in effect a building site, and waited for the
inevitable eruption that was brewing beside me. From somewhere around the
corner of the building came the dulcet tones of a pneumatic drill, and that
triggered it.
'Looks like another one of your successful little projects, Aln,' came the
razor-edged comment through gritted teeth. 'we11, this is going to be interesting.
ids! Let's go and see the pool, shall we?' And with a withering look in my
direction, Geoff and the boys disappeared around the corner. leaving me
standing alone surrounded by our bags. Not so much an eruption as a rumble, I
thought, slightly relieved.
I looked towards the hotel entrance hopefully. No sign of anyone coming out
to greet us, let alone relieve me of any luggage. The facade was finished, and I
could see how the photograph in the brochure had duped us, the camera lens
carefully focusing on this aspect, and concealing the pile of sand and tiles waiting
to be laid out front. As I philosophically considered this ability of photographers

brood returning from therr

drillit is about,' said Geoff, bristling.

the drilling
'Well, we found out what all the
'They're digging out the swimming pool. Boy, are we in for a treat this holidav!'

What is the writer's initial reaction to the hotel?

A She fears it may be the wrong one.
B
She worries about Geoff's reaction.
c She hopes there has been a mistake.
D
She is concerned about the noise
How do es the wr ter feel about the ho iday?
A opt mistic
con cerned
B
c phi osoph ica
D
cyn ical

when watching it in the wild, there's no greater

pleasure than seeing an animal in its own
environment. On film, you're only getting the
visuals and the sound. As impressive as they may
be, it's not the real McCoy and misses other aspects
that you can appreciate only by being there.'

A 'If done properly, wildlife-watching tourism can be a

win-win situation,' says Hammer. 'People have a
unique experience while contributing to conservation
directly. Local people and habitats beneflt through
job creation, research and an altemative income.
Local wildlife benefits from our conservation and
research work.'

E
'What is interesting is how much people are willing
to pay to be in a wildemess environment,' says
Julian Matthews, director of Discovery Initiatives,
which takes people on small group trips to more
than thirty-five countries and works directly with
conservation organisations such as the Orang-utan
Foundation. 'It's still a small part of the tourism
industry - maybe four or five percent of the whole but it's undoubtedly expanding. There are definitely
more and more people seeking wildlife experiences

Earthwatch is a nonprofit intemational environmental

group that does just that. 'Participation

in an

Eaflhwatch project is a positive altemative to wildlifewatching expeditions, as we offer members of the

public the opportunity to be on the front line, not the
sidelines, of conservation,' says Claudia Eckardt,
Eafihwatch volunteer programme manager.

F Wildlife covers all wild creatures, not just those that

C A comparable problem is found in various pafis of

are big, dangerous or exotic. As people are able to

tmvel to more extreme places in search of the
ultimate wildlife experience, it's worth rcmembering
that you don't have to go to the ends of the Earlh to
catch rewarding glimpses of animals.

East Africa, though govemment intervention has, in

these cases, done little to alleviate the hardships.

G Thus tour operator Rekero has established its own

now.

Would it be possible for ethical tourism to play a

role in the future of this region? Ken Logan, Director
of the African Wildlife Association. is not
optimistic about the chances.

'There's no way to compare seelng an animal in the

wild with watchrng one on TV,' savs Matthews.
'While a filmmaker may spend six months shootins
an animal and will get closer to it than you will

school - the Koviaki Guide School and Wilderness

Camp - for young Maasai in Kenya. Maasai have
largely been excluded from the benefits brought to
the region by tourism; they make up just fifteen
percent of employees in tourist camps. 'It is a
concerted effort to put the running of the reserve
into the hands of indigenous people,' says Ron
Beaton. founder of the school.

Readint Test

Part 3

You are going to read a magazrne article. For questions 13-19, choose the answer
(A, B, C or D) which you think fits best according to the text.

Mark your answers on the separate answer sheet.

Ashley Seager was, but cured bad posture - and her chronir back pain

Many people will have heard

of the Alexander

technique but have only a vague idea what it is about.

Until earlier this year, I didn't have the faintest idea
about it. But, hunched over a computer screen one day,
I noticed thatthe neck- and backache I regularly suffered
were more painful than usual. I consulted an osteopath,
who said: 'l can treat the symptoms by massaging your

neck and upper back. But you actually have bad

posture.That is what you need to get sorted out. Go off
and learn the Alexander technique.'

A few clicks on the web and I found an Alexander

technique teacher, Tanya Shoop, in my area of south
London and booked a first appointment,Three months
later I am walking straighter and sitting better, while my
neck and back pain are things of the past. I feel taller,
too, which I may be imagining, but the technique can
increase your height by up to five centimetres if you
were badly slumped beforehand.

The teaching centres on the neck. head and back. lt

trains you to use your body less harshly and to perform
familiar movements and actions with less effort.There
is very little efforl in the lessons themselves, which sets
apaft the Alexander technique from pilates or yoga,
which are exercise-based.
A typical lesson involves standing in front of a chair and
learning to sit and stand with minimal effort.You spend
some time lying on a bench with your knees bent to

straighten the spine and relax your body while the

- uith the Alexandu technique

teacher moves your arms and legs to train you to move

them correctly.
The key is learning to breakthe bad habits accumulated

over years. Try, for example, folding your arms the

opposite way to normal. lt feels odd, doesn't it?This is
an example of a habit the body has formed which can
be hard to break. Many of us carry our heads too far
back and tilted skywards.The technique teaches you to
let go of the muscles holding the head back, allowing it
to resume its natural place on the summit of our spines.
The head weighs four to six kilos, so any misalignment
can cause problems for the neck and body.

The Alexander technique teaches you to think of the

space above your head.This may sound daft, but it is an
important element in the process of learning to hold
yourself upright.You learn to observe how you use your
body and how others use theirs - usually badly. Look
how a colleague slumps back in a chair with his or her
legs crossed.That puts all sorts of stresses and strains
on the body. Even swimming can harm the neck. The
Alexander technique can teach you to swim better,
concentrating on technique rather than clocking up
lengths. 'ln too many of our activities we concentrate
on how we get to a destination rather than the means
or way of getting there,' says Shoop.
So who wasAlexander and how did he come up with the

technique? Frederick Matthias Alexander. an Australian

theatrical orator born in 1869, found in his youth that his
voice was failing during performances. He analysed
himself and realised his posture was bad. He worked on

improving it, with dramatic results. He brought his

technique to London 100 years ago and quickly gathered
a following that included some very famous people. He
died in 1955, having established a teacher-training school
in London, which is thriving today.
So if you are slouching along the road one day, feeling
weighed down by your troubles, give a thought to the
Alexander technique. lt could help you walk tall again.

13

The writer earnt about the Alexander technique

after telling someone about her problems.
when she suddenly developed a bad back.
C when massage failed to alleviate her back pain.
after a doctor told her she had bad posture.

14

The writer had been

concerned that her neck and back problems were caused by bad posture.
under the impression that poor posture was innate and could not be
rectified.
aware that she had problems similar to those experienced by car
mechanics.
uncertain about placing her trust in the Alexander technique.

A
B

15

The Alexander technique teaches that familiar movements

have been learnt by incorrect methods.
need more energy and effotl than we think.
do not have to be performed so strenuously.
are the most common cause of backache.

A
B
C
D

16 lt appears that the body forms habits that

A
B
C
D

17

inevitably cause physical pain.

can be difficult to change.
are a consequence of actions we perform
develop in early childhood.

The Alexander technique

makes you aware of other people's faults.
has immediate and dramatic results.
helps athletes perform better.
brings about a change in body posture.

A
B
C
D

18 lt is suggested that Frederick Alexander

A
B
C
D

19

believed in the benefits of exercise.

invented an alternative to yoga.
developed a form of exercise for actors.
recovered his vocal powers.

What is the writer's main purpose in the article?

to recommend regular physical exercise
B to explain how debilitating backache can be
C to suggest that back problems can be remedied
D to explain the widespread occurrence of back pain

ReadintTest

Part 4

You are going to read a newspaper article which discusses alternative power
systems for veh icles. For question s 2O-34, choose f rom the sections of the a rticle
(A-F).

Mark your answers on the separate answer sheet.

ln which section of the article are the following mentioned?

the advantages of conventional cars

20 ._.............

a more compact version of existing technology

21 ...............

a willingness

to invest in new technologies

22 ...............

limitations concerning where a vehicle can be used

23 ...............

a power source associated with a space programme

24 ...............

recycling waste products

25 ...............

a negative aesthetic impression

26 ...............

laws that encourage the development

of new technologies

2t

the inability to transport many people

28 ...............

devices that function best when conditions

are constant

29 ...............

the rate of acceleration of a vehicle

30 ...............

the possibility of returning to a source of power

used in the past

31 ...............

the existence of a market for a certain type

of vehicle

32 ...............

the ability to switch from one power source

to another

33

a car that is expensive to buy, and that has re atively

low running costs

34 ...............

...............

not spectacularly: it can go from 0 to about 100

kph in around 10 seconds, has a top speed of 165
kph, and below avemge fueI consumption.

The motor industry is finally showing some

serious interest in developing cost-effective and
environmentally-friendly technologies to power
vehicles, as can be seen by the amount of money
they are spending on research and development.
There are some sound lasons for this: nowadays
a significant number of people would prefer to
buy a vehicle that did not emit greenhouse gases
into the atmosphere or pollute the environment in
other ways. But there are other forces at work in
the industry as well. Govemments throughout the

world are demanding restrictions on

gas

emissions, and the goals they have set can only be

met in the long run

if conventional cars with

internal combustion engines are phased out and

replaced by vehicles that run on altemative power
sources. Naturally, public opinion is ultimately
behind legislation like this, which is aimed at
protecting the environment. Govemments, after
all, need to respond to the wishes of their voters.

out that while the car itself may not emit

poisonous fumes, as is the case with petrol-driven
vehicles, this is of little real benefit to the
environment if the electricity used to drive the car
has been generated by coal or oil power stations,
as is generally the case.

B For the last few decades innovators have been

coming up with ideas for alternative power

sources for automobiles, though so far none has
had a significant appeal for consumers. The
altemative technologies we have at present are
lagging far behind the petrol-g:uzzltng internal
combustion engine in terms of speed and the
distance that can be travelled before refuelling'
But what does the future hold? At present a
hybrid car propelled by a combination of an
electric motor and petrol engine may be the best
compromise for those who want to help save the
planet and still have the convenience of a car.
When you stafi the hybrid car and when you are

driving normally, power is provided by the

electric motor, which works with a battery'
However, when the battery stafis to go flat, the
petrol engine starts automatically and drives a
genemtor to recharge the battery. Similarly, when
the car needs extra power - in order to accelerate,
for instance the petrol engine provides that
power. This vehicle perforns respectably, though

And what of cars powercd solely by electricity?

Here the main stumbling block has always been
storing the eiectricity: batteries may have come a
long way, but they are still bulky and have to be
charged for long periods. The latest completely
electric caq for example, has a top speed of 60 kph
and a range of 60 kilometres. It takes 6 hours to
charge the battery fully. But the makers claim this
is perfectly acceptable for city driving, when
people are unable to go much faster or further in
any case. Many cities provide benef,rts such as free
parking for drivers of electric cars. But these
vehicles are virtually confined to urban settings.
which is off-putting, and most people find electric
cars have a toyJike appearance which is definitely
not appealing. Morcover, environmentalists point

First developed for use in missions to the moon,

fuel cells appear to be the most serious
challenger to the internal combustion engine as
an alternative source of energy for both mobile
and stationary applications. A fuel cell USES
relatively straightforward technology that
converts chemical energy into electrical energy
with benign by-products. In fact, the only byproducts are water, which is harmless, and heat.
The other advantage is that fuel cells have no
complex moving parts that need to be cooled or
lubricated. But rather than replacing the intemal
combustion engine as the source of power for
the vehicle itself, the fuel cell - in the view of
some manufacturers will only replace the
battery and altemator, supplying electricity to

vehicle systems, operating independently of the

engine. The actual drive power for the vehicle
itself would still be provided by the combustion
engine. However, while fuel cells certainly hold a
great deal of promise, there are some drawbacks.
They need a steady supply of hydrogen, which
needs to be extracted from some source, such as

methanol g&S, and this process can be

cumbersome. In one model that uses fuel cells,
the reformer required to extmct the hydrogen from
methanol takes up so much space that the vehicle
can only seat the driver and one passenger.

E Another possibility is represented by turbines.

Gas turbines have long been considered a
possible mobile and smaller stationary power
source, but their use has been limited for a
variety of reasons, including cost, complexity
and size. These large turbines shine when in
steady-state applications but are not as efficient
when speed and load are continually changing.
However. a new generation of turbines microturbines - has been developed in large
measure for use in vehicles. They are small,
high-speed engine systems that typically include
the turbine, compressor and generator in a single
unit with all the other vital components and

control electronics.

A different possibility in

terms of energy supply for cars is household gas.

special device installed in a g mge can
compress the gas, which is then fed into the car.
gas car is cheaper to run, as well as being
cleaner than a conventional car. On the other
hand, the vehicle itself is expensive because the
technology is new, and environmentalists argue

that a gas car will produce only a little less

carbon dioxide than petrol-driven vehicles.
F In the meantime, various compromises are being
employed as temporary measurcs. For example,
most diesel cars can now be converled to run on
biodiesel fuel, which is made from used vegetable
oils and animal fats. However, the environment
lobbv is not convinced that biodiesel helps cut
local air pollution by any significant amount.
Many experts believe that the ultimate solution to
the problem of reducing dangerous emissrons
ultimatelv lies with electric vehicles once the
battery technology has improved. Some experts
even believe that the futurc may lie with steam
cars, and since the first genuine 'automobile' - a
vehicle capable of moving itself - was powered by
steam more than two centuries ago, it could be that
the wheel is coming full circle.